1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerant suction structures for a compressor. More particularly, the present invention relates to refrigerant suction structures for a compressor in which a plurality of suction ports are formed in a partition plate which separates a plurality of cylinder bores arranged in a circular form around a longitudinal axis of a rotary shaft from a suction chamber. Compressing elements fitted in the cylinder bores are caused to move by rotating motion of the rotary shaft, and a refrigerant is introduced from the suction chamber into the individual cylinder bores through the suction ports. Refrigerant is expelled from the cylinder bores into a discharge chamber formed around the outer periphery of the suction chamber as a result of movements of the compressing elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a compressor disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-69476, a cam plate compartment accommodating a cam plate constitutes part of a suction passage and a refrigerant taken into the cam plate compartment is introduced into a suction chamber formed in a housing which extends from the front to the rear of a cylinder block. The refrigerant in the suction chamber is drawn into cylinder bores through suction holes formed in a side plate with a suction action of each piston, and the refrigerant in the cylinder bores is driven out into a discharge chamber in the housing through discharge holes formed in the side plate with a discharge action of each piston.
In this example of prior art technology, the discharge chamber surrounds the outer periphery of the suction chamber and the refrigerant in the cam plate compartment is introduced into the suction chamber through the holes in the side plate. The suction passage extending from the outside of the compressor to the cylinder bores is bent or curved, and such meandering part of the suction passage causes pressure loss. The pressure loss in the suction passage impedes smooth introduction of the refrigerant into the cylinder bores, resulting in a reduction in volumetric efficiency with respect to the refrigerant.